File cabinet



arch 28, 1967 J. E. BARROW FILE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13,1965 INVENTOR JAMES E. BARROW ATTORNEYS.

March 28, 1967 J. E. BARROW FILE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 13,1965 1H?WEEHHHHHHIWHIIHIiHHHIlHlEIiiiIIIII Hh \llHll l lhlIHIHIIIHHIIHImimmlmurn-linmmmmmu nu INVENTOR JAMES E. BARROW ATTORNEYS.

3,311,438 FHLE CABHNET James E. Barrow, 70 Emerald Drive, .lonesboro,Ga. 39236 Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 495,431 15 Claims. (Cl. 312-323)The present invention relates to improvements in filing cabinets. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a new drawer for a filingcabinet which, upon being withdrawn from the cabinet may be pivoted to avertical position.

It is sometimes necessary to file many types of documents and drawingsin a flat or horizontal position relative to the supporting plate ofvarious filing cabinets. Filing the documents and drawings in thismatter prevents edges from being bent over and sometimes torn whichfrequently occurs when filing such materials on edge in an uprightposition. It is particularly desirable to file drawings in a fiat,horizontal position to prevent them from acquiring a bow or curvaturesuch as occurs When they are filed in a vertical manner.

Horizontal filing has an inherent disadvantage as compared to verticalfiling. The documents and drawings are stacked or piled up in ahorizontal relationship within the filing drawer compartment. As aresult, any document or drawing which is not on top of the stack or pileis difficult to locate and to retrieve. The same is true when attemptingto replace a document or drawing in its proper place within the stack orpile.

None of these disadvantages, of course, occurs in vertical filing sinceall documents and drawings have an edge exposed for easy location andwithdrawal. Replacement of the materials is with equal ease.

The present invention provides a means by which documents and drawingsmay be stored in the horizontal position yet located and retrieved andreplaced in a vertical position. In other words, the present inventionprovides the advantageous features of both the horizontal filing systemand the vertical filing system by providing a new drawer for a filingcabinet.

By way of a brief description, the present invention provides a filingcabinet having a series of drawers therein which are designed forhorizontal storage of documents and drawings. These drawers, whenwithdrawn from the filing cabinet, may be pivoted downward in such amanner as to place the stored documents, which previously were in ahorizontal position, in a vertical position. In this manner, thedocuments are always stored in a horizontal position, yet when locatingand retrieving documents, or in replacing them, they may be placed in avertical position.

Therefore, it is one object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet having a novel drawer arrangement which provides for theadvantages of both horizontal and vertical filing positions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filingcabinet drawer which, upon being withdrawn from the cabinet, may bepivoted to a vertical position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a filing cabinetdrawer in which documents and drawings may be filed in a horizontalposition yet located, retrieved and replaced in a vertical position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel pivotingand support means for filing cabinet drawers.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon considering the following discussion andthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filing cabinet having States Patent3,311,438 Patented Mar. 28, 1967 "ice a series of novel drawersconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cut-away, cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG.1 showing in detail the manner in which the novel drawers of the presentinvention hook on and are supported by the handle of the "drawerimmediately below upon being withdrawn from the filing cabinet.

FIG. 3 is a side-sectional View of a filing cabinet showing the mannerin which a novel drawer of the present invention is withdrawn, pivotedand finally supported in the vertical position on the front of a filingcabinet.

With reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, filing cabinet 1 isprovided having a conventional exterior cabinet housing 2. The front ofthe cabinet housing is substantially open and is generally divided intoa vertical series of compartments for receiving the novel drawers 100,200, 380 and 400 of the present invention. These drawers are supportedat their lower edges by rails 3 secured in appropriate positions and theside walls of the cabinet housing. In addition to supporting thedrawers, rails 3 provide a surface along which the drawers may he slidinto or out of the cabinet housing.

While the filling cabinet in FIG. 1 is shown having four of the noveldrawers of the present invention, it should be understood that filingcabinets having a smaller or greater number of drawers are alsocontemplated within the scope of this invention. Furthermore, thedrawers of the present invention may be used in combination with drawersfor only vertical filing and all being housed within the same cabinet.

The drawer 109 has the usual base plate 111 and side walls 112 asindicated on the withdrawn and positioned drawer in FIG. 1. A face plate113 is secured across the front of the drawer and may have attachedthereto a card or label holder, not shown, for identifying the contentsof the drawer. A corresponding face plate 413 is shown on another drawerat the bottom of the file cabinet 1. In addition, a handle 114 extendsforward from the upper edge of the face plate 113 for withdrawing thedrawer from the filing cabinet. While this handle is illustrated asbeing integral with the top plate 116, it may be of another design andattached to face plate 113. Again, a corresponding handle 414 is shownon another drawer at the bottom of the file cabinet 1. Along the bottomedge of each face plate there is a cutout portion denoted by 315 and4-15 on the lower two drawers 3% and 400. This cut-out portion allowseach drawer to pass over the handle of the drawer immediately below whenbeing withdrawn from the filing cabinet.

As illustrated on both FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, drawer 100 has only a verysmall top plate 116 which is also integral with the handle 114. This topplate may be much larger, covering up to substantially all of the entiretop area of the drawer as desired, whereupon access to the drawerscontents would be through the rear opening in the drawer.

The embodiment shown, however, employs a keeper plate 117 hinged at 118to retain the contents within the drawer. This keeper plate may havespring loaded hinges so as to maintain some pressure on the contents ofthe drawer and urge them against base plate 111. As a result, thecontents of the drawer would remain in a flat condition whether in avertical or horizontal position.

The keeper plate 117 also has an angle near the hinge, thereby enablingthe plate to extend at an angle out through the top of the drawer, asshown in FIG. 3. The contents of the drawer may then be allowed to restagainst the plate in an orderly, upright manner, thereby providingextremely easy access to the contents of the drawer.

The back of drawer 100 is shown substantially open so as to allow accessto the contents of the drawer when placed in a vertical position asshown in both FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. If additional strengthening of the rearof the drawer is desired, bracing pieces 119 may be attached to the baseplate and side walls. Optionally, the back of drawer 100 may be providedwith a fixed, removable, or hinged backing plate in which case theaccess to the contents of the drawer would be through the top. A plateof this type would offer a barrier to any rearward movement of thedrawers contents when the drawer is closed.

. The uppermost drawer 100 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is shown in its verticalposition wherein its contents would be presented to a person in front ofthe cabinet in the same manner as in a vertical filing drawer. Thedrawer 100 is held in this position by a novel arrangement on theunderside of the drawer in combination with the handle 214, shown inFIG. 2, of the drawer 2% immediately below. The details of thisarrangement and the suspension are more fully illustrated in FIG. 2 andFIG. 3. As shown therein, base plate 111 is recessed with respect to theside walls and face plate as well as any braces or backing plate whichmay be present. Spaced from and parallel to base plate 111 is flange 120which extends from the lower edge of rear brace 119 towards a linecorresponding to the center of the base plate of the drawer 1th) foronly a short distance. Flange 120 acts as a hook for drawer 101 when itengages the novel handle 214 of the drawer 2% immediately below. Asshown in detail in FIG. 2, the handle 214 has an upper hanger lip 221over which the flange 1211 becomes hooked. The lower extension 222 ofthe handle abuts base plate 111, thereby stabilizing the drawer 1Whanging from handle 214. The drawer 180 is further stabilized inposition by the lower extension 322 of a handle 314 of an even lowerdrawer 300 shown in FIG. 3.

When a drawer 109 is placed into the filing cabinet 1, it rests on frontand rear bearing surfaces 131 and 132 supported by rails 3. A rear stop133 is also provided along the upper rear edge of the drawer to allowthe front of the drawer to fit flush with the front of the filingcabinet. An upper bearing surface 134 may be employed to aid the travelof the drawer when being pulled open or pushed closed. These bearingsurfaces and rear stops are shown more clearly by numerals 231, 232, 233and 234 of drawer 20d and numerals 331, 332, 333 and 334 of drawer 3%.

Upon opening a drawer, for example drawer 1110 of HG. 3, the handle 114is grasped and pulled forward. The drawer slides horizontally forward onits bearing surfaces over the rails 3 until it is somewhat withdrawnfrom the cabinet. At this point the drawer 1% begins to rotate downwarddue to the weight of the drawer and/or its contents and the fact that itis unsupported at its front edge in this withdrawn position. As themotion of the drawer continues forward and rotationally downward, therear flange 129 engages the hanger lip 221 of the handle 214 on thedrawer 280 immediately below. This prevents any further forward motionalong a horizontal path. The rotational downward motion continues untilthe flange 120 becomes completely hooked over the hanger lip 221 and thebase plate 111 of drawer 101) becomes stabilized against the lowerextensions 222 and 322 of the handles of drawers 200 and 3%.

The drawer 109 is now in a vertical position as well as its contents.Access to the contents may be had through an opening in the rear of thedrawer (which actually becomes the top when the drawer is in a verticalposition) or the contents may be allowed to pivot outward through thetop opening of the drawer (which actually becomes the front when thedrawer is in a vertical position) by the action of the keeper plate 117.In either situation, the contents are presented in a vertical manner foreasy location, retrieval and replacement.

When closing the drawer 100, handle 114 is grasped and the drawer isrotated upward while pushing it into the filing cabinet. The flange 120smoothly disconnects from the hanger lip 221 and the drawer movesrearward on the bearing surfaces over rails 3. The upper bearing surface134 aids in the movement of the upper rear edge of the drawer past theupper front edge of its compartment. The drawer continues its rearwardmovement until the rear stop 133 abuts the back wall of the filingcabinet at which point the drawer 1013 is fully seated within thecabinet in such a manner that the front face plate is flush with thefront of the filing cabinet 1.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various supportingand suspension devices may be employed with the present invention toallow the drawer to move horizontally and to rotate or tilt downward toa vertical position as it is being withdrawn from the filing cabinet.The suspension may also be modified so as to allow only one type ofmotion to occur at a particular time. That is, the drawer may bepermitted to move only in a horizontal direction until it is fullywithdrawn from the cabinet and then it may pivot downward to thevertical position.

In addition, other handle designs may be employed provided some means ispresent to stop the forward motion of the drawer, provide a pivot forthe drawer and support the drawer when it is in its vertical position.

Thus, having described the present invention, it should be apparent thatthe advantages of both the vertical and horizontal filing systems areprovided when these novel drawers are employed within a single filingcabinet.

While only certain embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed, it will be apparent that other modifications and changes maybe incorporated therein without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Therefore, the present invention is to be limited only bythe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A filing drawer comprising a base plate, side walls, a front faceplate, hooking means extending downward from the base plate, and ahandle extending outward from the front face plate, said handle havingmeans extending therefrom for engaging the hooking means of anotherdrawer.

2. A filing drawer comprising a base plate, side walls, a front faceplate, hooking means extending downward from the rear edge of the baseplate, and a handle extending outward from the upper edge of the frontface plate, said handle having lip means extending upward therefrom forengaging the hooking means of another drawer.

3. A filing drawer comprising a base plate, side walls, a front faceplate, hooking means extending downward from the rear edge of the baseplate, a handle extending outward from the upper edge of the front faceplate, said handle having lip means extending upward therefrom forengaging the hooking means of another drawer, and means attached to theinterior of the drawer for maintaining the contents filed within thedrawer in a flat condition.

4. A filing drawer having a base plate, side walls attached to said baseplate, a front face plate attached to said base plate and side walls,:an L-shaped hook attached to the underside of the base plate and alongthe rear edge in such a manner that one leg of the L-shaped hook isspaced from and parallel to the base plate with the open end toward theface plate extending outward from the upper edge of the front faceplate, said handle having an upturned lip and a lower extension forengaging an L-shaped hook and base plate of another drawer.

5. A filing drawer having a base plate, side walls attached to said baseplate, a front face plate attached to said base plate and side walls, anL-shaped hook attached to the underside of the base plate and along therear edge in such a manner that one leg of the L-shaped hook is spacedfrom and parallel to the base plate with the open end toward the faceplate, a T-shaped handle extending outward from the upper edge of thefront face plate by its stem thereby providing an upper flange forengaging an L-shaped hook of another drawer and a lower flange forabutting the base plate of said other drawer.

6. A filing drawer having a base plate, side walls, a

front face plate, a top plate, hinge means for swingably securing thetop plate to the front face plate, an L-shaped hook attached to theunderside of the base plate and along the rear edge in such a mannerthat one leg of the L-shaped hook is spaced from and parallel to thebase plate with the open end toward the face plate, a T-shaped handleextending outward from the upper edge of the front face plate by itsstem thereby providing an upper flange for engaging an L-shaped hook ofanother drawer and a lower flange for abutting the base plate of saidother drawer,

7. A filing drawer having a base plate, side walls, a front face plate,a first top plate partially covering a portion of the top of the drawer,a second top plate hingedly secured to said first top plate and capableof swinging movement extending into and out of the drawer, an L- shapedhook attached to the underside of the base plate and along the rear edgein such a manner that one leg of the L-shaped hook is spaced from andparallel to the base plate with the open end toward the face plate, aT-shaped handle extending outward from the upper edge of the front faceplate by its stem thereby providing an upper flange for engaging anL-shaped hook of another drawer and a lower flange for abutting the baseplate of said other drawer.

8. In a filing cabinet having a series of drawers arranged verticallytherein the improvement which comprises an L-shaped hook attached to theunderside of each drawer base and along the rear edge thereof in such amanner that one leg of the L-shaped hook is spaced from and parallel tothe drawer base with the open end toward the drawer front and a T-shapedhandle extending outward from the upper edge of each drawer front by itsstem.

9. A filing cabinet having a housing, supporting rails attached to thesides of the housing which divide the front of the housing into a seriesof compartments, a series of drawers which slide into each compartmentsupported by the rails, each drawer comprising a base plate, side walls,a front face plate, hooking means extending downward from the baseplate, and a handle extending outward from the front face plate, saidhandle having means extending therefrom for engaging the hooking meansof another drawer.

it). A filing cabinet having a housing, supporting rails attached to thesides of the housing which divide the front of the housing into a seriesof compartments, a series of drawers which slide into each compartmentsupported by the rails, each drawer comprising a base plate, side walls,a front face plate, hooking means extending downward from the rear edgeof the base plate, and a handle extending outward from the upper edge ofthe front face plate, said handle having lip means extending upwardtherefrom for engaging the hooking means of another drawer.

11. A filing cabinet having a housing, supporting rails attached to thesides of the housing which divide the front of the housing into a seriesof compartments, a series of drawers which slide into each compartmentsupported by the rails, each drawer comprising a base plate, side walls,a front face plate, hooking means extending downward from the rear edgeof the base plate, a handle extending outward from the upper edge of thefront face plate, said handle having lip means extending upwardtherefrom for engaging the hooking means of another drawer, and meansattached to the interior of the drawer for maintaining the contentsfiled within the drawer in a flat condition.

12. A filing cabinet having a housing with an open front portion,supporting rails attached to two opposite side walls of the housingwhich divide the front of the housing into a series of compartments, aseries of drawers which slide into each compartment supported by therails, each drawer comprising a base plate, side walls attached to saidbase plate, a front face plate attached to said base plate and sidewalls, an L-shaped hook attached to the underside of the base plate andalong the rear edge in such a manner that one leg of the L-shaped hookis spaced from and parallel to the base plate with the open end towardthe face plate, and a handle extending outward from the upper edge ofthe front face plate, said handle having an upturned lip and a lowerextension for engaging an L-shaped hook and base plate of anotherdrawer.

13. A filing cabinet having a housing with an open front portion,supporting rails attached to two opposite side walls of the housingwhich divide the front of the housing into a series of compartments, aseries of drawers which slide into each compartment supported by therails, each drawer comprising a base plate, side walls attached to saidbase plate, a front face plate attached to said base plate and sidewalls, an L-shaped hook attached to the underside of the base plate andalong the rear edge in such a manner that one leg of the L-shaped hookis spaced from and parallel to the base plate with the open end towardthe face plate, a T-shaped handle extending outward from the upper edgeof the front face plate by its stem thereby providing an upper flangefor engaging an L-shaped hook of another drawer and a lower flange forabutting the base plate of said other drawer.

14. A filing cabinet having a housing with an open front portion,supporting rails attached to two opposite side walls of the housingwhich divide the front of the housing into a series of compartments, aseries of drawers which slide into each compartment supported by therails, each drawer comprising a base plate, side walls, a front faceplate, a top plate, hinge means for swingably securing the top plate tothe front face plate, an L-shaped hook attached to the underside of thebase plate and along the rear edge in such a manner that one leg of theLshaped hook is spaced from and parallel to the base plate with the openend toward the face plate, a T-shaped handle extending outward from theupper edge of the front face plate by its stem thereby providing anupper flange for engaging an L-shaped hook of another drawer and a lowerflange for abutting the base plate of said other drawer.

15. A filing cabinet having a housing with an open front portion,supporting rails attached to two opposite side walls of the housingwhichdivide the front of the housing into a series of compartments, a seriesof drawers which slide into each compartment supported by the rails,each drawer comprising a base plate, side walls, a front face plate, afirst top plate partially covering a portion of the top of the drawer, asecond top plate hingedly secured to said first top plate and capable ofswinging movement extending into and out of the drawer, an L-shaped hookattached to the underside of the base plate and along the rear edge insuch a manner that one leg of the L-shaped hook is spaced from andparallel to the base plate with the open end toward the face plate, aT-shaped handle extending outward from the upper edge of the front faceplate by its stem thereby providing an upper flange for engaging anL-shaped hook of another drawer and a lower flange for abutting the baseplate of said other drawer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 296,611 4/ 1884Pearson 312-323 X 339,325 4/1886 Rountree 312-323 2,857,558 10/1958Fiske 317-101 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. F. DOMOTOR, AssistantExaminer.

1. A FILLING DRAWER COMPRISING A BASE PLATE, SIDE WALLS, A FRONT FACEPLATE, HOOKING MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARD FROM THE BASE PLATE, AND AHANDLE EXTENDING OUTWARD FROM THE FRONT FACE PLATE, SAID HANDLE HAVINGMEANS EXTENDING THEREFROM FOR ENGAGING THE HOOKING MEANS OF ANOTHERDRAWER.